A Man Can Only Take So Much
by DazzledByNorrington
Summary: Elizabeth needs Norrington's help. Will he finally break from the pressure? A cute little blip of Norrington and Elizabeth's friendship. Takes place after AWE--Norrington is raised from the dead and back in Port Royal. I couldn't let him go!


Elizabeth slipped into the ballroom as the last strains of a waltz were played. polite applause filled the room and Elizabeth started to make her way through the crowd. She scanned it, looking for the familiar features of James Norrington. She had come here to enlist his help in finding Will, and she wasn't going to leave without it. At last she spotted him. He was dancing with a girl wearing a deep purple dress, and more than one pair of envious eyes were staring jealously at them. Norrington looked happy, happier than Elizabeth had ever seen him. The two had known each other since Elizabeth joined her father on the passage from England to Port Royal. Norrington wasn't exciting back then; in fact, he had rarely smiled. During the course of the trip and the years to come, Elizabeth had learned more of his past. While Elizabeth had had a family to take care of her, Norrington had to practically raise himself. His mother had died when he was four, and his father rarely played with him, as he was an Admiral in the Royal Navy.  
James traveled with his father, and from what it seemed, Admiral Norrington Sr. wasn't very kind to James. Elizabeth had everything and Norrington had nothing. But now it looked like Norrington had everything he ever wanted. Elizabeth hated to ruin his party, but she needed to talk to him.  
"James!" she called out. The grin on Norrington's face disappeared and he paled. He kissed his partner's delicate hand and turned to face the pirate.  
"Elizabeth." He spoke her name through clenched teeth, though there was still a hint of reverence in his voice.  
"I need to talk to you. Should we move into another room?" Elizabeth started towards a closed door.  
"No, we can talk here." Elizabeth stared at the hand on her arm, which Norrington used to stop her. He quickly removed it.  
"I need your help, James." Elizabeth did not look him in the eyes. "Jack's kidnapped Will. He needed Will's influence to get past certain…obstacles. I'm so scared for him, James, what if something bad happens? Please, James"—at this point she sidled up nice and close to Norrington—"I'll do anything for you to help me. And I mean anything." Norrington abruptly turned from Elizabeth. "Oh, please James, you know how much this means to me…how much Will means to me. You're the best sailor I know, James. I know you can find him." She started to gently slide her hand up his arm.  
"Elizabeth!" She flinched and stopped. Norrington turned around, revealing tear-filled eyes. "Elizabeth." Norrington swallowed audibly, the tears not yet falling. "You've done this too many times. How much longer are you going to torture me? You're using me, Elizabeth! You're using my feelings toward you as a way to get what you want. And I've had enough."  
Norrington's voice broke as he said those last words, and at last the tears started falling. Elizabeth just stood there, feeling the eyes of numerous party guests on her. She had never seen the tough man cry, and she felt horrible, for it was true—she had been using her knowledge of him loving her to her advantage. Norrington turned to leave but stopped at the doorway. Still not facing her, he said "I was happy, Elizabeth. I finally felt like I belonged again. But then you…A man can only take so much, Elizabeth." and left.

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Closing her eyes and letting out the breath she has been holding, Elizabeth couldn't help but feel like crying herself. The girl who had been dancing with Norrington glided by Elizabeth and gave her a death glare. Her newfound dance partner did the same. Elizabeth approached the room Norrington had disappeared into and slowly opened the door.  
"James?" she whispered. What she saw inside made her already-broken heart break even more. Norrington had taken off his uniform jacket and wig, and was now sitting on his bed with his head in his hands. His shoulders heaved up and down as his body was wracked with silent sobs. Overcome with the desire to make him smile and laugh once more, she sat beside him and put her hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off and wimpered, 'Go away." But Elizabeth sat in silence for a moment before attempting to say I'm sorry. But Norrington became angry again, refusing to believe her apologies.  
"James, I didn't know you felt like this, I'm sorry! Please believe me. I hate to see you like this. Please smile?" Norrington shook his head no and said, "Of all the people asking me to smile…and how do you expect me to do that?" As Elizabeth pondered her next action, she suddenly remembered something that had happened during her passage from London so many years ago.  
Norrington had to be in his early twenties at the time, and was a Lieuteneant. He wasn't very popular amongst the other boys on the ship, so one day, after scolding one of them, they decided to gang up on him. If they had injured him he could've gone to the Captain so they instead pinned him down and tickled him to the point of hysteria. It was the first time Elizabeth had seen Norrington lose control. She had felt bad for him at the time and shooed away the boys. She had almost forgotten about the incident it had happened so long ago!  
Hey, if it'll make him laugh, it can't be that bad, right? Elizabeth thought. She reached over and pinched Norrington's side. He shifted his weight to move away from her hand but didn't laugh.  
Damn! she thought. What, did he grow out of it?  
"What are you doing?" he asked. "Making you smile." She stopped pinching and started scratching. After a few seconds, Norrington started to laugh.  
Jackpot! she thought. Elizabeth continued scratching, causing Norrington to spasm. He managed to say between laughs, "Stop that, Elizabeth!" But he was smiling so Elizabth did not stop. "S-stop! Elizabeth!" Norrington twisted his body away.  
"Not until you forgive me!" In order to turn his body back around, Elizabeth grabbed his waist. Suddenly Norrington doubled up, not emitting a sound. Jackpot times two! she cheered inside her mind. Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh herself as she wriggled her fingers and Norrington collapsed to the floor. Norrington was laughing harder now, his eyes squeezed shut and his hands trying to pry her fingers away. Elizabeth stopped her assault and let Norrington catch his breath.  
"So I've finally broken the brave Admiral Norrington, eh?"  
"You!..." Norrington snarled. Elizabeth sat on his bed.  
"Don't worry, I'm not going to be telling anybody." At those words Norrington's tense muscles relaxed and he slowly resumed his place on the bed, next to her. "Promise?" he asked. Elizabeth shot back, "Only if you'll help me rescue Will." The pain of her request ripped through Norrington's body again, and the tears which had fallen before threatened to spill again. His revealing eyes hid nothing from Elizabeth. But the Admiral regained his composure and agreed. Now it was Elizabeth's turn to be shocked; she hadn't expected him to agree that easily. Norrington noticed her confusion.  
"By remembering I serve others and not only myself, Elizabeth," he said as he put back on his wig and uniform jacket, "I will help you find your…..Will."

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"Just don't do that ever again." he added. Elizabeth chuckled, but didn't promise. Norrington noticed, but left the subject alone. Better not provoke another attack, he thought. He grabbed a duffel bag from his closet and packed a few necessities. Elizabeth was halfway down the road by the time Norrington got to the door.


End file.
